Provisioning an electronic device (e.g., a computer) encompasses everything from setting up accounts (e.g., for network access) and creating data structures (e.g., home folders), to fine-tuning the user experience by managing preferences and settings for users, groups, and the like. In a managed environment, such as a corporate network, modern operating systems includes user management tools that are used to create and manage accounts, share points, and network views. When managing accounts, administrators may define account settings such as name, password, home folder locations, and group membership. Preferences may be defined that customize a user's experience, granting or restricting access to his or her own computer'settings and to network resources.
Many services are often made available to users, such as e-mail, chat, etc., that are accessed using applications that execute on the user's client computer. The client computer applications may require manual configuration to access services. The configuration process can be confusing for users, because it may include the input of network addresses and resources into obscure configuration menus. Further, manual configuration adds a burden on administrators because preferences may need to be defined in advance for many users, and each user may have unique configuration parameters based on location, installed applications, available services, etc.